warm climate. They were created for almost all side of the furrow, thus letting the plow down a 
climates where flowers are found in sufficient little lower, so as to give the landside a purchase 
abundance for their support, as is shown by the to throw it over. If your ground is dry, and you 
fact that they find themselves natural homes, and do not wish to throw it into ridges, in turning 
thrive and prosper in regions where the mercury your back-furrow it is the better way to set the 
has congealed in winter. 
plow to run about four inches the first furrow 
Mr. Q. asks, “Where is the evidence that God across and back, then let the plow down the proper 
designed the entrance at the bottom of the hive?” depth ; your back-furrow will then hardly be dis- 
The evidence will be found in the answers of the tinguished from the general surface, 
great majority of the bee keepers, when asked The most workmanlike manner of plowing head- 
their opinion on the subject, as well as in their lands, is to begin the lot by striking a land ten 
practice in using hives of this construction ; and paces from the fence, and back-furrow, leaving a 
to tliis-I can add that my own experience for years strip four paces wide on either side of the lot, and 
in this respect is to me proof positive. I have for a headland of corresponding width at each end; this 
years made numerous experiments in regard to leaves a space wide enough to turn around on.— 
this very point; these have been witnessed by After finishing up in the middle of the lot, com- 
honorables, divines, doctors, lawyers and magis- mence at one corner and go around it, turning the 
trates, and almost all classes of men, who are furrow from the fence; never turn a furrow against 
ready to bear testimony to the result. The uni- a fence twice in succession. If your fathers or 
form result has been that, where openings have hired men have been accustomed to plow in a 
been made in the hive at different heights from zigzag, serpentine manner, take the plow han- 
the bottom, and covered with wire screen, the dies yourselves, boys, and with a little care and 
bees have invariably closed them up with bee- attention you will soon be able to “ show them how 
glue, even going to the chamber; and where a it’s done.” a. c. g. 
hole had been bored in the top of the hive, over 
which a box had been placed, they made the box 
air tight, not being able to close the hole,—leaving 
Paw Paw, Mich., June, 1859, 
If II. K. T., author of an article on plowing in 
only the opening at the bottom for their entrance the Rural of June 11 th, will show me how to plow 
into the hive. I therefore regard the evidence as a side hill which inclines 45 degrees, I will ac- 
complete, that God, who gave to the bee its in- knowledge him to be a superior farmer. I believe 
stinct, designed that the entrance to its hive I can hold a plow as well as any other man, but I 
should be at the bottom, and hives with entrances cannot drive a team on a side Mil of that descrip- 
at the top have in consequence been abandoned, tion.—J. II., Glens FaUs,~N. Y., June, 1859. 
Another evidence we have that bees work up- -- 
wards, instead of downwards, is that by taking PORTABLE CATTLE RACK 
an old hive full of honey, and containing a swarm _ 
of bees, and turning it bottom upwards and fitting Eds. Rural While I am writing, I will give 
another hive of the same size over it, the swarm the plan of a portable rack which I have used to 
will fill the new hive with comb and honey, and great advantage in feeding hay to cattle. Take 
late in the season, after they can no longer ex- two poles of sufficient size to admit of being put 
tract honey from vegetation, they will even re- together, after form of the bottom frame of a corn- 
move honey from the old hive to the empty cells mon wood-bed, with two inch auger. These poles 
above, and finally, as winter closes in upon them, may be of any convenient length to suit other 
they will entirely forsake the old hive for the new lumber; place them four feet apart, and fasten at 
one - each end and middle with good rungs, or cross 
In regard to the position, that the proper en- bars; slope the ends after the fashion of a board 
trance for the bee is at the bottom of the hive, sled; mortice in the top with one and a half inch 
Mr. Q. says“ In the trees of the forest, we find auger, and put in post 2 by 4 inches, 4 to 5 feet 
quite as many going downwards as upwards to high. If for calves, colts or sheep, 4 feet; for 
the hive from the entrance.” Now, I would like older cattle, 5 feet. Lean the posts or uprights out 
to be surrounded by any number of intelligent bee- at the top, so that when finished it will be 20 inches 
keepers, and show them a tree to which the en- wider at top than bottom. Side up with plank or 
trance was in the centre of the cavity,—that is to boards 1 by 4 inches, making to 4 inches; 
say, at equal distances from the top to the bottom, fasten up ends in the same way, and your rack is 
' and as k them which direction a bee, from its done. This rack can be moved as easy as an 
natural instinct, would take after entering this empty sled, thereby depositing the manure and 
tree from that opening. I am satisfied that all seed where it is most needed in the meadow or 
would answer promptly and decided^, “ upwards.” field. 
Even Mr. Q. himself, should he happen to be pres- I have sets of these racks made 12 and 24 feet 
ent, would, I am confident, if he answered at all, long, which I invert during the summer, and I 
faintly articulate the word “ upward.” feel confident they will last fifteen years. During 
Mr. Q. still clings to his theory of placing his the past winter, in feeding 150 cattle, I am confh 
swarms in the cellar, winters, turning the hives dent I have saved five tuns of hay, over any other 
bottom upwards. In this I disagree with him, way I have ever seen hay fed in the open field, 
and think him a transgressor of some of Nature's This would, at a very low estimate, more than pay 
bee laws. We are taught that “ the way of the for all the racks at cost for material and building 
transgressor is hard,” and his future success will 
probably decide the correctness of his theories on 
this point. Mr. Q. questions the fact that bees 
require drink. Every observer has seen bees col¬ 
lect around a pump, and also around water on the 
ground. So the evidence that they do drink is 
Marshfield, Ind., 1859. 
Inquiries mu) Answers. 
Turkey Raising. —For the past year I have read a 
established from observation, and if they drink in £ roat deal about successful turkey raising, and having 
summer they must need drink in winter; and I half a dozcn 1 concluded t0 ‘T lu <*. The amount 
showed (April 23d) how Nature provided for them *? ggB ^ ™ T* •° Ut ofdhat ™ mber 1 » avc 
„ ... . , but seven young turkeys living. Nearly all the eggs 
in winter. Mr. Q. might as well say that animals hatched) but after a few days tho young wou]d * S t0 
with lungs do not need air to promote life, as that dr 0 op, and finally die. I fed them sour milk, meal, and 
a bee does not require water for the same purpose, occasionally a little pepper. Now, I would like to have 
There are many other strong points connected some one of the many readers of the Rural give their 
with this subject that I would have been very glad mode of raising turkeys and oblige—A Reader of the 
to introduce had space permitted me to do so, but Rural, Cayuga Co., JY. Y., 1859. 
I know the dread that Editors have of having - 
their columns monopolized by these personal dis- How to Raise a Colt ey IIand.—I would be obliged 
cussions, and I had for this reason, from the very for information from some of your able correspondents 
first, decided not to be led into them by any one. as t0 the bcst manner of raising a colt by hand, as I 
I feel that I was forced into this, my first and last ba ' C a mare tliat bas a fine co,t > but H0 milk. It is four 
one, and in future shall make no reply to any day8 ° ld> * have been feeding it on cow’s milk, but it 
J does not seem to agree with it-bowels too open. From 
attacks which may be made on my articles, ex- what information I could gather, I have to one quart of 
cepting when I am convinced tliat I have advoca- new milk added one-third water, one teaspoonful of 
ted something that is wrong, and then I will make sugar, and the white of one egg. Some tell me cow’s 
use of the same columns, in making my acknowl- milk is too strong-others say not. I do not know, as 
edgements and correcting my mistake, that first I never have had the trial of raising one in this way 
published the error to the world. 
Henrietta, N. Y., May 25,1859. E. Ki 
-- 
HOW TO PLOW-TO THE BOYS. 
before, therefore any knowledge will be thankfully re¬ 
ceived.—F. II. Eymai., Waterdown, C. W., 15S9. 
Garget.— A valuable cow of mine came in last week, 
and three of her teats have hard lumps, or a gristle, up 
In the Rural of June 11th, I noticed a commu- in * ke U T P , per part ° f tke / cat 80 that 1 cannot & et the 
. .. - milk. If you, or any of your numerous readers, can 
nication from one who had “ not unfrequently 
give a remedy through the Rural, you will confer a 
taught men to plow,” giving instructions to the great favor . 1 Lave” another cow that lost the use 
boys. Some of his ideas are good and practicable, 0 f one teat before this spring, and a neighbor, whose 
and if followed, plowing would not be so slovenly cow lost the use of one last summer from the same 
done, as it now is in too many cases, yet I think cause.— Samuel N. Stillman, AIfred Centre, N. Y. 
not a few of the “Rural” boys could teach their An immense number of inquiries upon the dis- 
instructor in the matter of plowing at least. ease known by the various appellations of “ In- 
AHow me, Mr. Editor, to give the Rural Plow- flammation of the Udder,” “ Garget,” “ Knots in 
Boys my ideas with regard to plowing. I do not the Teat,” &c., reached the sanctum last year, and 
consider it as the ultimatum to have a “ well- the season for such queries seems to have again 
trained team, although desirable, yet a plowman come around, if we may judge by the communica- 
should be able to guide any horse team with accu- tions already received. In order to fully answer 
racy. In the first place, be particular to pace off the questions of our correspondent, and all others 
your land of equal width at each end ; set a stake who desire information upon this point, we give, 
at one end, and make a mark with your heel at the a t some length, the various processes which bear 
other; set the plow in the mark; place the lines the patent of 11 regularity f 
around your waist; look between the heads of your In the early stages the most effectual remedy 
horses, and get something between you and the jg to place the calf with the mother, that it may 
stake, in range with it, as a small stone, or weed; suck and knock about the udder at pleasure. Re¬ 
start your team, turning the body to the right or i ief) in most cases, soon follows. Should the in¬ 
left to guide them, and be sure to Mt every object of flammation continue, or the bag be so tender that 
range between you and the stake. Having got your the cow will not permit the calf to suck, and, 
furrow through straight, it needs a little more especially, should the fever increase and the cow 
judgment and practice to turn the back furrow, so refuse to eat, or cease to ruminate, and the milk 
as to lap the edges together nicely. Don t be dis- become discolored and mixed with matter and 
couraged if you fail the first time; it can be done blood, then the case must receive immediate at- 
with a little care. If you get your furrow through tention. T ouatt recommends bleeding, a dose of 
straight, the next thing is to keep them straight, physic administered, the udder w r ell fomented, the 
Be careful to cut your furrow-slice of equal width milk drawn gently but completely off - , at least 
from end to end, looking ahead occasionally to see twice in each day, and an ointment, composed of 
if there are any bends; should there be any, caused the following ingredients, as thoroughly rubbed 
by going around a stump or other obstruction, into the bag as the cow will permit:—Soft soap, one 
straighten it by running the plow to land where it pound; mercurial ointment, two ounces; cam- 
bends outward, and cutting a narrow furrow where phor, rubbed down with a little spirit of wine, one 
it bends inward. If your land is kept straight on ounce — rub well together. Apply after every 
both sides, it obviates the necessity of turning milking, the udder being well fomented with warm 
around in the middle, by finishing up with one fur- water, and the remains of the ointment washed off 
row, which is done by running the wheel along the before the next milking. If the foregoing fails to 
i speedily remove the disease, iodine must be resort- 
i ed to. The mode of application is external, in 
i the form of an ointment (one part of the hydrio- 
; date of potash being incorporated with seven parts 
s of lard,) one or two drachms (about the size of a 
filbert) of which should be rubbed into the dis- 
’ eased portion of the udder morning and night. 
Doses of the hydriodate may daily be given inter¬ 
nally, with a little gruel, gradually increasing 
■ from six to twelve grains. During the process 
i the udder must be closely watched, as matter will 
i begin to form, and it should be speedily removed. 
I If suffered to work its own way to the surface, 
i large, irregular ulcers, difficult to heal, will be 
- formed. Whenever there is the appearance of 
- suppuration, the diseased part should be freely 
s and deeply lanced. While the disease is in pro- 
« gress the bowels should be kept open, and for this 
• purpose take half doses of the following:—Epsom 
i salts, one pound; powdered caraway seeds, half 
• an ounce. Dissolve in a quart of warm gruel. A 
l fever drink, composed of emetic tartar, one 
drachm; powdered digitalis, half a drachm; nitre, 
three drachms—mix and give in a quart of tolera¬ 
bly thick gruel. A drink more decidedly diuretic 
is made of powderi?3 nitre, one ounce; powdered 
1 resin, two ounces; ginger, two drachms — mix 
well together in a little molasses, and give in 
warm gruel. This latter drink it will be well to 
; continue for two or three weeks after all bloody 
discharges have ceased. 
The treatment recommended by Dr. Dadd is to 
perseveringly foment the teats, or quarters that 
have become hot and tender, with an infusion of 
elder or camomile flowers, at the same time draw¬ 
ing, in the most gentle manner, a small quantity 
: of milk. He then gives an aperient — one pint of 
linseed oil and the yolks of two eggs, or one pint 
of sweet oil and half a teaspoonful of cayenne 
pepper—and keeps the animal on light diet. If 
there is danger of matter forming, rub the bag 
with equal parts of goose oil and hot drops. If 
the parts are exceedingly painful, a wash of weak 
lye, or wood ashes, or sal soda, is recommended. 
If necessity compels the use of the lancet, after 
the matter is evacuated the part is washed clean 
and a stimulating liniment applied.” 
Tanning and Coloring Sheep-Skins.— Please give 
me through your valuable paper the process of tanning 
and coloring sheep skins for mats, and you will oblige 
very much at least one reader of the Rural. Tho pro¬ 
cess was given some three or four years ago.—J. A., 
Waterloo, JY. Y, 1859. 
As far as possible, we give an answer to our 
correspondent by publishing an article from the 
Scientific American, which first appeared in Vol¬ 
ume IV of the Rural. This, however, only fur¬ 
nishes the process of tanning —will not some of 
our readers give their modes of coloring? —“Take 
two long-wooled sheep skins, and make up a strong 
lather of soap; the sign of proper strength is 
when the lather feels slippery between the fingers. 
When the lather is cold wash the skins carefully 
in it, squeezing them between the hands so as to 
take all the dirt out wool. When this is ac¬ 
complished, lift outH'nc^iJins and wash them well 
in cold water until all the soap is extracted. Have 
a vessel of clean cold water ready, to which some 
alum and salt (about half a pound) which have 
been dissolved in a small quantity of hot water, 
are added, and the skins left to steep all night. 
They are taken out in the morning and hung over 
a pole to drip. When all the alum water has 
dripped off they are spread out on a board to dry, 
and carefully stretched with the hand from time 
to time. Before they are thoroughly dry a compo¬ 
sition of two tablespoonfuls of alum, and the 
same of saltpetre, are ground to powder in a mor¬ 
tar, or otherwise, and sprinkled carefully on the 
fleshy side of each skin. They are then placed 
the one on the top of the other, leaving the wool 
outside, and hung upon a rack of slats, in a barn, 
shed, or dry, airy place, for about three days, or 
until they are dry; they should be turned every 
day. After this they are taken down and the flesh 
side is scraped with a blunt knife, and each skin 
trimmed for a mat. The flesh side may then be 
rubbed over with pipe clay, beat with a switch, 
and will then be found supple, of a beautiful white 
color, and fit for a door mat for a mechanic or 
prince.” 
-«-•-*- 
Experience in Seeding One Season. —I planted 
eight acres of corn,—on land manured the fall pre¬ 
vious, thirty loads per acre,—four feet apart; cul¬ 
tivated both ways; made no hills; hoed last time 
second week of July, and sowed on grass seed, a 
peck to the acre; husked early on the hill, and 
then turned the cows in. The green feed and 
stalks lasted till November, greatly increasing the 
quantity of milk and the flesh of the cows. Cut 
the standing stalks close to the ground the next 
spring, in one day, with a corn-cutter. This 
piece yielded the largest crops and the longest of 
any I ever seeded, out of over a hundred acres, 
put down with oats and wheat in the spring.— 
G. I). C. 
.. . -»-»♦ . 
Scoyille’s Rotary Subsoil Plow Improved.— 
We are glad to hear of the improvement mention¬ 
ed in the following note, and that the plow is to 
have a public trial: 
Friend Moore:—I n a communication to you on the 
16th of April, in reply to “ L. S.” of Attica, I called at¬ 
tention to Scovili.e’s Rotary Subsoil Plow, giving a 
description of its practical working, and stating that I 
bad one in use on my farm. In commenting upon it you 
suggested some alterations calculated to improve it. I 
am informed tliat the Patentee lias made the improve¬ 
ment suggested, and tliat a public trial of the Plow will 
soon be made — probably on the Monroe County Fair 
Ground at the time of the trial of Mowers and Reapers 
on the 30th inst., or at the Horse Show on the 4th of July. 
Truly Yours, I. S. Hobbie. 
Rochester, June 21, 1859. 
-♦-»<- 
Milk Trade of the Metropolis.—A New York pa¬ 
per says some idea may be formed of the extent of the 
milk business of that city by the quantity which arrives 
through one channel. About two hundred and forty 
single and double wagons cross the Jersey City ferry 
every night for their supply of milk, which arrives 
principally by the New York and Erie road. Tho 
wagons average eighteen cans of forty quarts each, 
making a total of 170,S00 quarts. The freight upon 
milk on the New York and Erie road amounts to about 
$1,000 per day. 
tturnl Spirit of tljc press. 3tgrimltural Jttisccllcmji. 
Cultivation, of Buckwheat. 
A late number of the Ohio farmer remarks up¬ 
on this subject as follows:—“ It has been said that 
buckwheat occupies the same position among 
grains as the donkey does among animals — useful, 
but not piopular. It will grow on the poorest of 
sandy soils; can be sown later than any other 
grain; and is one of the best crops for cleaning the 
land and for killing wire-worms and other injuri¬ 
ous grubs. It has been extensively used for plow¬ 
ing in as a manure. But though it has proved 
beneficial for this purpose, it is not as good as 
many other crops that might be used, such as white 
lupin, spurry, red clover, &c. Buckwheat is often 
sown too early. When too early, the hot sun is 
apt to blast the flowers. The middle of June, in 
this section, is considered the best time to sow; 
though in New England, good crops are often ob¬ 
tained when sown as late as the fourth of July. In 
sections where there is danger of frosty nights 
early in the fall, it must be sown early, as a slight 
frost, often destroys the crop. We must endeavor 
to steer between the two dangers —blasting of the 
flowers in the summer, when sown early; and the 
destruction of the crop by frost in the fall when 
sown late. It succeeds well sown on clover or grass 
seed. Formerly it was considered best to break 
up the land in the spring, but lately the practice is 
to pasture the land, and break up immediately be¬ 
fore sowing. From three pecks to a bushel is the 
usual quantity of seed. Of the use of buckwheat, 
we need not speak. Everybody likes buckwheat 
cakes on a cold winter’s morning. It is good food 
for poultry. Hogs thrive upon and are fond of it. 
When crushed, it is good feed for horses — more 
nutritious, it is said, than oats. It is good for 
milch cows, increasing the quantity and richness 
of the milk.” 
“Will you Bend me Ycmr—P 
Yes, neighbor, if you will bring it home again 
to-day. There is no greater trial of one’s patience 
than this everlasting, unfaithful borrowing. No 
benevolent man — such as we are — will refuse to 
lend a friend a book or a hat, a razor or a hand¬ 
saw, a plow or a pick-axe, if he can have a reason¬ 
able assurance that it will be returned, when the 
immediate purpose for which it was borrowed has 
been accomplished. But to reduce yourself to beg¬ 
gary, by lending all you have, with no prospect of 
seeing again, in proper time or suitable condition, 
the articles lent, is a tax upon our good nature, 
which is perhaps more than ought to be borne.— 
We have sometimes doubted the inspiration of the 
proverb, “ The borrower is servant to the lender.” 
At any rate, men have so far deteriorated in their 
sense of propiiety, that they—some people—bor¬ 
row with the most perfect assurance, as if the lend¬ 
er were a servant to them. Of this, however, we 
should not complain. Let us lend cheerfully all 
that is asked, as humble servants of the borrower, 
but let us muster courage to say to our inveterate 
and self-confident borrowing friends, please return 
that axe, umbrella, book, hoe, rake or jack-knife, 
to-day or to-morrow, or as soon as you can make 
it convenient. 
The above paragraph, which we clip from the 
Portland (Me.,) Transcript, will probably hit a 
good many individuals throughout the country.— 
All who consider that this short sermon is intend¬ 
ed to meet their particular case will please heed 
its injunctions and “ sin no more.” 
Heed For I-Iorses. 
Tiie London Omnibus Company, says an ex¬ 
change, have recently made a report on the feeding 
of horses which discloses some interesting facts. 
It seems that the Company uses no less than 0,000 
horses; 3,000 of this number have for their feed 
bruised oats and cut hay and straw, and the other 
3,000 get whole oats and hay. The allowance ac¬ 
corded to the first was — bruised oats, 10 lbs.; cut 
hay, 7% lbs.; cut straw, 2 % lbs. The allowance 
accorded to the second — unbruised oats, 19 lbs.; 
uncut hay, 13 lbs. The bruised oats, cut hay and 
cut straw amounted to 26 lbs., and the unbruised 
oats, &c., to 32 lbs. The horse which had bruised 
oats, with cut hay and straw, consumed 26 lbs. per 
day, and it appears that it could do the same work 
as well, and was kept in as good condition, as the 
horse which received 32 lbs. per day. Here was a 
saving of 6 lbs. a day on the feeding of each horse 
receiving bruised oats, cut hay, and cut straw.— 
The advantage of bruised oats and cut hay over 
uubruised oats and uncut hay is estimated at 5 cts. 
per day on each horse, amounting to $300 per day 
for the Company’s G,000 horses. It is by no means 
an unimportant result with which this experiment 
has supplied us. To the farmer who expends a 
large sum in the support of horse power, there are 
two points this experiment clearly establishes, 
which in practice must be profitable; first, the sav¬ 
ing of food to the amount of G pounds a day; and 
secondly, no loss of horse power arising from that 
saving. 
Remedy for Rust in Wlieat. 
Tiie Indiana Farmer proposes to head the rust 
by prompt cutting. It says :—“ When nature is 
bent on rusting the wheat, man can always pre¬ 
vent the evils of rust, and, if we understand the 
signs of the times, it is important that we consider 
how we may do this. Cut it down immediately, is 
our remedy. Not only cut it down, but see that it 
cures, after it is cut. The rust is a fermentation of 
the sap, and to arrest it actual drying of the straw 
is required. In order to do this have everything 
ready to begin, at least two weeks before harvest 
time. Watch the weather, watch the wheat. A 
very slight discoloration of the straw may occur 
without material injury to the grain; but when it 
is manifest the grain is to suffer, muster all the 
available force, and separate the stalk from the 
earth, as soon as possible. When the process of 
rusting is established, the formation of milk, sap or 
grain-food has ceased, and degeneration of the sap 
progresses. When the wheat stalk is cut off from 
the ground the sap ceases to circulate, the stalk 
dries, shrinks, and thus throws the milk-sap back 
toward the grain. Let every farmer sleep with his 
armor on, for, just as sure as the sun shines, there 
is money in wheat this year!” 
Tiie Tennessee State Fair Is to bo held at Nashville 
the second week in October, commencing the 10th. 
Weather, Crops, &c.—The most of this month has 
been cool and unfavorable for vegetation, with two 
severe frosts as already noticed. For a few days past 
the temperature has been warmer, with some hot, corn- 
growing days, though tho nights are too cool for the 
season. We continue to receive accounts of the devas¬ 
tations of Jack Frost on the nights of tho 4th and 10th 
inst., in various sections. The second visitation was 
quite severe in some sections where the first caused no 
injury. Our advices as to the extent of the damage are 
so conflicting that we can add nothing positive to last 
week's report—except that wheat and winter barley are 
more extensively injured in some parts of Western and 
Southern New York than we then supposed. The frosts 
have doubtless caused no little damage over a largo 
extent of country, but the extent of injury was at first 
exaggerated and later reports are more encouraging. 
We do not yet despair of comparatively good crops in 
most parts of the Union. 
Agricultural Fairs for 1859.—Wo are preparing 
tables embracing the times and places of holding the 
various State, County and District Fairs, for publica¬ 
tion, and trust Secretaries will favor us, as early as con¬ 
venient, with the requisite information in regard to 
their respective Societies. 
Kalamazoo Horse Snow. —At the recent annual 
meeting of the National Association for Improving tho 
Breed of Horses, held at Kalamazoo, Mioh., the stock¬ 
holders authorized a premium list of $3,000. The An¬ 
nual Exhibition is to be held on the Grounds of the 
Association, in Kalamazoo, Oct., 11th to 14th inclusive. 
Hungarian Grass— Time to Sow .—A correspondent 
inquires if it is too late to sow Hungarian Grass. We 
think not. Though it is usually sown in May, we have 
heard of good crops from seed sown the middle of June 
and later. Have any of our friends sown it as late as 
July, and with what success ? 
A Good Cow.—Under date of June 15, Mr. R. L. Sam¬ 
son, of Le Roy, N. Y., writes:—“ Within the last seven 
days I have milked from an ordinary sized cow, 430 
lbs. of good, rich milk—averaging over 61 lbs. per day. 
The most given in any one day was 67%" lbs. If any of 
your subscribers can beat this I would like to know it.” 
National Agricultural Fair. — The Executive 
Committee of the United States Agricultural Society 
have decided to hold their Fair at Chicago this year, 
provided the Chicagoans comply with certain condi¬ 
tions—furnish seventy acres of ground suitably enclosed, 
with necessary buildings, etc., and guarantee that tho 
receipts shall not fall below $17,000, which sum is neces¬ 
sary to cover the premiums and the expenses incurred 
by the Society. The Chicago Journal says the condi¬ 
tions will of course be complied with. The Fair is to 
commence the 12tli of September. 
A Hint about Stacking Hat. —In a recent letter, 
Mr. John Johnston, of Seneca, (near Geneva,) writes: 
“ I have seen Gladding’s Horse-Power Pitchfork in 
operation. I think it will prove quite a labor-saving 
machine, especially in large barns and for making large 
stacks, and (if stacked at all) hay ought to bo put up in 
large stacks, as it is much better. The two or three tun 
stacks that are so common over all the country, are a 
great loss in a pecuniary point. The hay in small stacks 
never becomes solid. The air is constantly passing 
through and greatly lessens its value.” 
China Tea Wheat, Again.— In reply to a communi¬ 
cation in the Rural of June 11th—stating that the China 
Tea wheat is no more free from tho midge than any 
other—A. D. T., of Niagara county, says:—“ Last yearl 
sowed six acres of wheat, three acres of the China Tea 
and three of the Club and Fife. All was sown in the 
same field, side by side, on the same quality of land, 
and at the same time. I venture to say that there was 
not one peek of the Club and Fife, while there was a 
good yield of the China Tea variety. In this section 
farmers can raise good grops of the China Tea wheat 
while the other kinds fail.” 
Several Heads of “May Wheat,” grown from 
Seed procured in Southern Illinois, were sent us on tiie 
16th inst., by Mr. Jas. White, of Wayne county, N. Y. 
They appeared to bo earlier than any wheat we had 
seen this season, with indications of a good yield. Mr. 
W. says he did not receive the seed until Sept. 20th, 
and then sowed after corn,—but that it looks ten days 
earlier than Mediterranean which was sown two weeks 
earlier. He promises us samples from time to time, in 
order that we may judge of the success of tho experi¬ 
ment, and adds :—“ If it should be sufllciently early to 
mature before the midge commences its ravages, the 
variety will be valuable to Western New York farmers; 
while, if it proves a failure, my experience may save 
others from similar loss.” We shall note the result. 
Agricultural Societies.— There arc upon record, 
in the office of the Secretary of the Interior, at Wash¬ 
ington, as in existence in the several States 786 Agricul¬ 
tural Societies. Illinois has the largest number of any 
State, 88; then New York, 77; Indiana, 75; Pennsyl¬ 
vania, 68; Ohio, 63; Massachusetts, 44 ; Iowa, 36; Wis¬ 
consin, 31; and Missouri, 34. The Southern States have 
but few, except Virginia, 31; Maryland, 10; Tennessee, 
IS; South Carolina, 8; etc., etc. There was one in 
Kansas, one in tho Indian (unorganized) Territory; 8 
in California ; 2 in Oregon ; 11 in Nebraska Territory; 
11 in Minnesota; 1 in Utah; and 2 in Washington 
Territory. 
Firing Cannon to Prevent Frosts !—A correspon¬ 
dent at Westfield, N. Y., suggests that late spring and 
early autumn frosts can be prevented by firing cannon 
—though he first puts the suggestion in the shape of 
several queries on tho subject. Perhaps the object 
could be accomplished with plenty of caution and 
ammunition, but we hardly think it would fay, and 
advise “Dcciple Nntune ” to reduce his theory to a 
practical science, and figure the cost and profit before 
speculating too extensively. We give his closing sug¬ 
gestion:—“ The firing of cannon on the morning of 
the coming 4tli of July will aflbrd a good opportunity 
(to those who have thermometers and barometers) to 
note the effect produced thereby on the temperature, 
pressure and motions of the atmosphere. Would it 
not be well for men of science to ‘seize the oppor¬ 
tunity ? [D. N. will of course do so, and report.] 
— Tho article above alluded to was sent with direc¬ 
tions to “ print in your [our] next issue and send half 
a dozen copies for distribution,” etc. And in a private 
note our correspondent says:—“I intend to write an¬ 
other paper on the subject of preventing drouths, and 
long-continued rains, by a systematic course of cannon¬ 
firing, conducted upon scientific principles!” We beg 
our friend won't do so— at least not until we recover 
from his first shock. We can’t bear too much, even of 
a good thing, and feel confident that (though it is near 
tho “ Gelorious Fourth,”) the farmers of this “Great 
Ked’ntry ” arc too peaceable to beat their pruning 
hooks and plows into cannon! Shooting the frost 
might possibly do, but the idea of killing both drouth 
and rain with the same gun is too much of a “ stunner. 
Where is Prof. Espy, the “Storm King?” Has his 
mantle fallen upon D. N. ? t 
